Pool coping and method for fabricating

Abstract

Swimming pool coping made of recycled rubber can replace traditional concrete copings. The rubber chips can be mixed with a binder placed in an extrusion machine that pressurizes and heats the mixture to activate the binder. Alternatively, the rubber chips and binder can be placed in a compression mold where the rubber chips are compressed and heated to activate the binder. The rubber coping can then be removed from the extrusion machine or compression mold. The coping is then cooled which hardens and strengthens the coping. The hardened rubber coping is then cut to a predetermined length and shape. The coping can be adhered to the bond beam of the swimming pool and the adjacent coping. A sealer can be applied to the exposed surfaces of the coping to provide color, texture and provide UV protection.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 497,353, “POOL COPING” filed Jun. 15, 2011. Then entire contents of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 497,353 are hereby incorporated by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]There are various types of swimming pools including indoors or outdoors. Pools can also be in ground or above ground. The pool can contain a large volume of water includes side and bottom surfaces which can be concrete, fiberglass, or other suitable water proof materials. A concrete pool deck can surround the pool and a concrete coping can be installed at the intersection of the upper pool sides and the horizontal edge of the pool deck.[0003]A problem with swimming pools is that water clings from the swimmers as they exit the pool. The water then falls from the swimmers onto the concrete deck and coping creating a slippery surface. As other people walk over these wet spots, their feet can hyd...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The extruded coping can be installed around the edges of a swimming pool on a concrete bond beam. An adhesive such as a polyurethane binder can be used to attach the coping pieces to the top of the bond beam and to each other. The adhesive can be placed on the top surface of the bond beam and the coping pieces can be set in place around the perimeter of the swimming pool. The adhesive can also be placed on the sides of the coping pieces to glue each coping to the adjacent coping. The installed coping can then be covered with a rubber acrylic sealer that provides UV protection and may also include an ornamental color. The sealer can be applied with an air gun or rollers and will adhere with the bonded rubber substrate of the coping. The sealer can cover and conceal any seams in the rubber coping and create the appearance of a uniform structure.

Problems solved by technology

A problem with swimming pools is that water clings from the swimmers as they exit the pool.

The water then falls from the swimmers onto the concrete deck and coping creating a slippery surface.

As other people walk over these wet spots, their feet can hydroplane and slip resulting in a fall.

A wet slippery flat concrete deck can be very unsafe and a fall on the hard concrete edge of the coping can cause significant injury to people or animals walking by the pool.

Another problem with cement coping is that the installation process uses mortar.

The excessive drying and subsequent shrinkage of cement mortar and concrete coupled with concrete coping expansion, can lead to shear failure of the coping.

Additionally, the inclusion of expansion joints adjacent to a concrete coping can contribute to a failure.

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